WATER SCORPION AND THE BACKSWIMMER

1. WATER SCORPION AND THE BACKSWIMMER By Caleb And Bronson

2. BACKSWIMMER DESCRIPTION • The backswimmer is part of the hemiptera order and the Nonectidae family. There are over 20 species in North America. Although their name is backswimmer they don’t actually swim back ward, they swim upside down. They are white backed when young and gain more color and design as they grow older. In general they have 6 legs with the front two smaller than the back legs. The backswimmer ranges in size from 0.2 in to 0.6 in.

3. BACKSWIMMER HABITAT • The backswimmers habitat includes: • Still slow water • Rice fields • Canals • Rivers • They do spend most of their time in the water but they can fly

4. BACKSWIMMER FOOD • The backswimmer is a predator. • The backswimmer eats mostly aquatic larva but will also eat blood worms. • They use their beak like mouth to kill its prey.

5. BACKSWIMMER LIFE STAGES • The top picture is a larvae form backswimmer • They gain the patterns and color as adults as shown in the bottom picture.

6. WATER SCORPION DESCRIPTION • The water scorpion is a predatory insect and not a scorpion, and it is commonly found in slow moving water. They have small bodies and thin legs. Some people confuse them for walking sticks. They somewhat resemble a scorpion but have wings and only three pairs of legs instead of four. The name was given to them because of their forearms’ ability to grasp. Water scorpions grow to about 0.6 to 0.8 inches long with a 0.3 to 0.4 inch 'tail'. They have bodies that are flat and dark brown in color.

7. Water Scorpion Habitat • Although water scorpions live in the water, they are air-breathers and poor swimmers. They can be found in brackish dykes or streams, but prefer shallow lakes and ponds The water scorpion is a predatory insect and not a scorpion, and it is commonly found in slow moving water.

8. WATER SCORPION DIET AND HUNTING TECHNIQUE • Water scorpions are ambush predators. When prey approaches, they will lunge forward and grab it with their powerful forelimbs. Then they pierce their victims with its tube-like mouth. Its prey includes small insect larvae, water fleas, water worms, and water lice.

9. THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF A WATER SCORPION • Larvae • Adult Ranatra Species Nepa Species Ranatra Species Nepa Species

10. Bibliography And Reference • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://newswire.rockefeller.edu/upload/media/100716backswimmer • http://newswire.rockefeller.edu/upload/media/100716backswimmer.1279307810.jpg • http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa010601a.htm • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bugsafari.je/images/habitats-garden-ponds.jpg • http://islandwood.org/kids/stream_health/macros/Backswimmer.html • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/2746315998_7f70299a73.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/ • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://steveandramonaboone.com/images/ • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://travel.mongabay.com/colombia • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.whatsthatbug.com/wp-content/uploads//2010/05/dragonhunter_conneticut.jpg&imgrefurl=http://

11. Bibliography And Reference • http://www.haslemerenaturalhistorysociety.org.uk/insects4.htm • http://www.nepid.co.za/Images/Nepidae.jpg • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.amnh.org/learn/biodiversity_counts/ident_help/Text_Keys/key_images_resized/heterop/subkey%2520b/nepidae.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.amnh.org/learn/biodiversity_counts/ident_help/Text_Keys/heteroptera.htm&usg=__ • http://www.microcosmos.nl/bugs2/nepal02.htm